Newbie & my G8 GT

[Gordon Freeman]

Hello this is my first post here. I own a 09 Pontiac G8 GT and am considering tuning the car more so the engine for extra hp and if I can a couple additional mpg. I don’t have any experience in tuning a car at all. So I need to explore all my options before I begin. Then maybe later on I’ll look into the Trans to modify shift points. I’m also a member at GRRRR8.net forum.

I know there are hand held devices as well as those that I can connect to my laptop. I’m sort of leaning towards a handheld so I can keep it in the car with me. I want to do that so I can if need be return the car to the original factory parameters. Only if I need to return the car to the dealer. My main concern is I don’t want to void the warranty on my car. I have also read the term stealth tune which I’m guessing a Tech II won’t detect mods made? Hopefully I can learn enough here to make a decision on which way to go when I decide which method I choose to tune the car.

BTW the car has just over 5k on the clock as of today.

Thanks…

[bluegoat06]

Check all the stuff you can do and more
http://www.hptuners.com/products/vcmsuite.php
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=28

[BBA]

Disclaimer: Making tune changes that break stuff will rightfully void the warranty. They can tell if you broke it then flashed it back to stock before you brought it in (depends on the dealer but there are two giveaways: Key on/off cycles since flash and emmissions test completion cycles). Plain and simple: You should not modify your car if you are concerned about warranty.


Now, I would add: There is nothing a handheld can do that HPT can not. And that even includes returning you to the stock tune if you feel such a need.

I have also seen no handhelds that have tune files that address the biggest reason to tune: Driveability! With HPT, you can get all the bottom end torque and power you can handle with timing/PE/TM settings. Conversely, I have seen (and also own) handhelds that by default bump up trans pressure so much and take out TM to the point of banging on shifts (which will break hard parts eventually).

Just my two cents...and then some.

[bluegoat06]

I've also used handhelds in the past and i agree with BBA, my 99 camaro was impossible to drive with the most minimal snow accumulation and winter tires in all 4 corners cause the canned tune i had made the shifts stupid harsh, and i'm sure you've seen G8 people going back to stock because their canned tune makes their car behave in the same way under winter conditions.

There is a lot more you can do with HPT than what a handheld is capable of doing, including returning the car back to stock when needed. i know some people doesn't like to carry a laptop around cause it can be bulky, i bought an Eee PC Mini laptop because it was more convenient to carry around than my old Toshiba latop, and way lighter. fits perfectly underneath the seats in the same case where i keep HPT, and it goes with my in the car eveywhere.

There is a beginner G8GT Trans thread in the GM V8 Trans Section
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25456

There is General information for tuning How-to's
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9700

From this How-To's i took the LS2 tuning guide and made little modifications to it for myself, and used it to tune my cammed LS2 GTO. if i was able to tune a cammed LS2 engine with the guide, and no knowledge at all when i started, anybody should be able to tune a stockish car Greg banish book was a nice starting point to get the basics, and there is also thetuning school books as you probably saw in the lounge as well. i've tuned 4 G8GT's including mine with the basics i learned from the LS2 guide,same concepts are used in the E38's, if you need help with with the histograms, i've also included one to be used with the G8GT's to scan data.

http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24869

The main keys when learning, read, read and keep reading, and ask questions when in doubts.

[Gordon Freeman]

Disclaimer: Making tune changes that break stuff will rightfully void the warranty. They can tell if you broke it then flashed it back to stock before you brought it in (depends on the dealer but there are two giveaways: Key on/off cycles since flash and emmissions test completion cycles). Plain and simple: You should not modify your car if you are concerned about warranty.

First off thanks for the replies…

I received this email from Tuner Tools.

The Diablosport Predator U7194 will tune the G8 GT very well and when the car is put back to stock, it not only reloads the OEM files, but it even resets the OEM flash counter which will then not even display that the reflash had taken place.

Also don’t know if it makes a difference or not but where I live we don’t require emissions testing. So even with this handheld the dealer can still tell that the ECM has been flashed?

bluegoat06 I’m going to take time to review the links you provided thanks…